


Dear Pansy

by graveExcitement



Category: Rigel Black Series - murkybluematter
Genre: Epistolary, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Gen, Inspired by The Rigel Black Chronicles, RBC Masquerade 2021, Set during TFF14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:34:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29221785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graveExcitement/pseuds/graveExcitement
Summary: Five letters that Pansy Parkinson received in the summer of 1995, and one that she sent.
Comments: 19
Kudos: 86
Collections: Rigel Black Chronicles Masquerade 2021





	Dear Pansy

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2021 Rigel Black Chronicles Masquerade.
> 
> Thanks to Rime for the beta!

Dear Pansy,

Britain is a laughingstock in the international community. The fact that the two biggest sporting events that we’ve held in the last year have both been hijacked by terrorists means other countries would be fools to trust in our security. And that’s not even mentioning how quickly the SOW Party is falling apart. The only thing keeping it together at this point is the hunt for Rigel. We’d better find him first. 

Rigel can’t be just anyone. He knew pureblood customs; you can’t say that of any random halfblood you find on the street. One of his parents must have been from an old line. The question is, is he an acknowledged son or not? If he’s a bastard, that will make it tougher.

There’s speculation that he’s from France, that he fled there, or both. The French Ministry isn’t going to be much help, either way; the fiasco of the Tournament has offended them, given that Delacour was nearly the winner. Her uncle is the French Minister, and has a lot to say about how his precious niece, the scion of Beauxbatons, could have been killed if she’d been the one to touch the cup first. Not to mention their family is part-Veela, and they’re still pissed about the Tournament’s policy regarding creature blood. They may refuse to extradite Rigel, if he’s found in France. 

You should try and see if your parents have heard anything more specific about Rigel’s heritage. 

Your friend,

Millie

* * *

Pansy,

For once, I actually have an answer for you. Rigel wore a pendant that had some incredibly powerful defensive magic in it, a ward that would activate and shield against the most dangerous curses. He claimed it was a gift from Lady Potter to protect him in the Tournament, and it certainly did its job. Neither of us imagined it would protect him from the Killing Curse, but there’s no other explanation for how he could have survived it.

It’s possible he lied about where he acquired it, but in this case the simplest explanation makes the most sense. Lady Potter would have been motivated to protect the boy who she thought was her nephew, and she has the expertise needed to invent something like that, considering her line of work. It’s far beyond Rigel’s level; he dropped Ancient Runes this year, and he was never a prodigy in that subject as he was in others.

But he was still able to help me when I consulted him on the runic ward project my mother had me working on. And it doomed him. Those were my wards, mine and my mother’s. It was my idea to anchor them to the nearest wards to boost the power. 

I hope we find him, Pansy. Then I can tell him I’m sorry.

—Blaise

* * *

Parkinson,

You’d better be telling the truth about wanting to help Rigel. If you betray him, every Weasley will be coming after you. You might be able to outduel me, but me and the twins? _And_ Ginny? You don’t stand a chance. 

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but you don’t want to get on Percy’s bad side either. He’s Black’s legal representative now, did you know? It’s weird, seeing him so passionate about something that isn’t studying. But Rigel helped him. He does that. And we’re going to help him. You and Malfoy will too, if there’s an ounce of loyalty in you. 

—R. Weasley

* * *

Dear Pansy,

Ed hasn’t said much about it, but I can tell he’s disappointed that Rigel won’t be able to attend his wedding. It’s sure to put a downer on the whole affair, given how preoccupied Society is with the whole mess, but I’m determined to put Rigel out of my mind for the event, and you should too. It’s supposed to be a happy occasion, and I’m the best man, so if I need to hex a smile onto Malfoy’s face, that’s what I’ll do. Of course, it would be better if I didn’t cause a scene at Ed’s wedding, so I hope you can make sure I don’t need to.

One wedding that won’t be happening is between Heiress Potter and Heir Black. Now that the marriage law has been defeated, they’re free to break the betrothal. I think we can assume that the Harriett Potter we saw at the Yule Ball was actually Black, since he’s the one who attended AIM with Miss Granger. 

Rigel and Harriett cared for each other, that much was clear from his reaction to my intending to court her. I must admit, their ruse has only increased my interest. Whether Harriett will give me the time of day remains to be seen.

Sincerely,

Aldon

* * *

Pansy,

Can’t help you. Rigel cursed me with a Sealing Curse years ago, and there’s nothing outside it that you don’t already know.

Flint

* * *

Pansy set down this last letter, mind whirring. She didn’t know what exactly a Sealing Curse was, but she could surmise that it was preventing Marcus from giving any helpful information. Yet the knowledge of the curse itself was useful, as was the one other piece of information Marcus had been able to provide: “years ago.” Marcus had discovered Rigel’s secret years ago! How? She knew better to underestimate him, but how had he figured it out when she and Draco hadn’t suspected a thing?

That wasn’t quite fair. They had known that Rigel had secrets, that his personality didn’t line up with what his family expected from him. They’d had many pieces of the puzzle, surely more than Marcus did.

Which meant that whatever puzzle piece he held, it was a big one, and it wasn’t one she or Draco had access to. Whatever Marcus had discovered, it was something Rigel had failed to hide. A slip-up he hadn’t been able to lie or explain away, because lying would have been his first recourse, not cursing. What evidence could be so obvious and incontrovertible that Marcus had found it years ago, yet so concealable that none of the rest of them had noticed?

She cast her mind back to what Rigel had said in the wake of the Greengrass debacle. _“What was there to notice? The halfblood shape of her nose? Or maybe the halfblood way she crossed her t's?”_

Rigel was right. There was nothing to distinguish Rigel or Greengrass from their pureblood set; nothing but their blood itself. But it wasn’t like Marcus would have blood tested his Quidditch team. So what had he found?

Pansy sighed and began separating the letters into “safe” and “incriminating.” Millie and Aldon’s letters were safe, but she would need to burn the other three. Marcus wouldn’t thank her if anyone found out he’d known about Rigel beforehand.

There was one more category of letters on her writing desk: those written in her own hand. She took out a fresh quill and parchment. It wouldn’t help anything; it would hurt when the owl returned, unable to deliver the letter. But she wrote anyway.

* * *

Dear Rigel,

Come home.

Love,

Pan


End file.
